Michael Crichton’s Secret Life Reprinted in Paperback

Hard Case Crime, which in June published Stephen King’s novel “Joyland” solely in paperback, is about to take the same “paperback only” approach to eight early Michael Crichton novels.

The thrillers, among them “The Venom Business” and “Drug of Choice,” were published between 1966 and 1972 under the pseudonym John Lange.

The new reprints will be identified as “Michael Crichton writing as John Lange,” and will be priced at $9.95 when they are reissued this October. Gregory Manchess and Glen Orbik created the sexy, sometimes lurid cover art for the new reprints.

Mr. King retained the digital rights to “Joyland,” and has declined to publish it as an e-book in hopes of spurring his fans to visit bookstores. Charles Ardai, publisher and owner of Hard Case Crime, said the novel has gone on to sell “hundreds of thousands of copies” in paperback.

This time around, however, Hard Case Crime will be competing with inexpensive e-book editions of the same works.

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